Three Queens, Two Kings, One Cat
by OctoberWind16
Summary: Alice is lost in Wonderland. Everyone else is lost in Alice. So who answers whose questions? How must one get out of Wonderland? How must one get out of Alice? Story is better than summary
1. The Introduction

Alice, Alice, dream on

Let your thoughts slip out

Into a Wonderland in your own mind

Create landscapes no one could ever find

Everything belongs to you

In Wonderland, there's nothing you cannot do

Never underestimate the possibilities

We adore your abilities

Over streams and through wooden tears

Nothing will stop the years

Diving into the rabbit hole

Ever so much you droll

Raving mad, we will take you in

Lying will get you everywhere, it is not a sin

Alice, Alice, us creatures are your imagination

No one can stop your fascination

Dive into the rabbit hole.

Again and again.


	2. Poison

_Alice, Alice, dream on_

Her name was Alice. Alice... Alice what?

---

"Wake up, Alice. Wake up." Alice stared, confused, at the talking cat. "I've got plenty of Time to waste on you, but it doesn't seem to want to come along. So wake up, Alice."

"Who _are_ you speaking to?"

"Wake up." The cat demanded.

"_Me_?" Alice pointed at herself in confusion.

"You're in the wood where no one has a name. You are in Tulgey Wood," the Cheshire Cat cleared.

"If I am in the wood where no one has a name, why do you think you know mine?"

"Because I am not here. My mouth and eyes are here, but my body is not."

"What are you?" Alice asked in an unsure tone.

"The question is not what I am, but who I am."

"Who are you?"

"I belong to the duchess. She can be a monster at times but-"

"Who is the duchess?" The cat sighed.

"There now, it is time for us to go." The cat's tail appeared and Alice held onto it as the cat led them out of the Tulgey Wood.

--

They arrived at a pristine white hall as if from nowhere. Alice's senses began to regain themselves. She gasped. "My! You are a cat! And I am a human! How is it that a girl like me could imagine such things," she shook her head in attempt to wake up from whatever dream she believed she was in. The cat did nothing but walk on by himself with his full body appearing. Alice was finally able to detect some of the cat's features. It was slightly scrawny, but not overwhelmingly, and it's fur was painted a vibrant orange. It's dim gold-green eyes gleamed in the lit hallway and it's paws were white like snow. A head of Alice, where the cat was walking towards, was an equally as white, round, and small table with one royal leg. Three glass bottles filled with purple, red, and peach liquid substances sat in a row on the round table. As Alice reached closer to the table she saw labels on the bottles a folded card on the table. She read a loud the printed cursive writing on the paper. "'Choose Your Poison.' Well I shouldn't like that at all to choose any kind of poison." The cat had disappeared and Alice was left a lone to decide which poison, if she should choose any poison at all, she would drink. Her curiosity won over magnificently. She picked up the bottle with the peach colored liquid and read what was on the label. _Looks Deceive._ She read the other two. Purple: _Pleasure Has A Toll. _Red: _Betrayal Wins You Nothing. _She sighed and decided to remove the cork on each of the bottles and take a whiff. Purple: Peaches. Red: Sulfur. Peach: Rotten Fish. Forgetting what the label marked on the purple bottle, she drank half of the purple liquid without a second thought. She began to feel nauseous, then light-headed. "I must be dreaming...," she collapsed on the white floor. The bottle, still in her hands, shattered and the remaining purple liquid seeped out in every direction. Alice was still conscience but her mind swirled before her. "...Poison...?" The cat appeared in her peripheral vision as everything began to drone and blur out.

"Alice?"


	3. Diamond Thief

_Let your thoughts slip out_

She was lost in a world where poison infiltrated her mind and her thoughts slipped and poured out beyond her control.

--

Alice's eyes wandered around, trying to regain her clear vision. The hall and everything in eye's reach was blurred out from her. The cat sat patiently and listened to her every word that she herself did not know she even spoke aloud. "I don't know what Aunt wants from me. Mother has been gone for quite some time and my sister says she won't be back for a while because, you know, Mother has a lot of important things to do. But it's been so dreadfully long that I doubt Mother will ever come back. Tell me she'll come back, won't you?" The cat sat in silence. "And this world filled with talking creatures, my, I haven't the slightest idea how I came here. What are these white stained walls and this... what is this purple I see. And, oh! What is this red liquid covering the purple. What, indeed!" Her words were slow but understandable. "Why must my mind swirl? Why can I not see? Have I not fully awakened? Oh, how I will miss Tea with my Aunt. She'll be frighteningly disappointed and angry. If only she could lead me the way out. Why do I remain on the ground? I must... I must get up." Alice tried her hardest to lift herself. She did so but rested her hand on the round table for support as her balance wasn't regained much. The table tipped over and all of the bottles came crashing down without a lid to protect them. Alice fell on her back as the shards of the glass bottles collided on the ground. There was blood in Alice's hand but she was not fully aware of it. She grunted but did not feel pain. She felt numb. "I suppose I should dig my own grave."

"Don't become as mad as we are, Alice," the cat rose. Alice blinked slowly, then blinked again, this time a lot slower. Finally, she blacked out in a world-less place.

--

She awoke in the same position and location as when she passed out, but she had finally regained some of her senses. Alice observed her surroundings and heard a pattering of feet. She found the source: a White Rabbit. It was running off farther into the hall that seemed to never end while holding a diamond the size of its head. The White Rabbit dragged the diamond very painstakingly. "Excuse me!" Alice called after it. The Rabbit did not respond to her nor did it notice her. Alice got on her feet the best she could and chased after it. Once she stood over it she took the diamond from The White Rabbit in good conscience to help it. It obviously mistook her actions.

"Criminal!" It accusingly yelled with bulging eyes. "Thief!"

"Oh, no! I just want to know how to get home-!"

"Diamond bandit! I would inform you so that this diamond here belongs to the Queen of Hearts sent from the White Queen as a sign of peace!"

"I am _not_ a thief!" Alice stomped her foot on the ground, shaking the poor, scared White Rabbit. "And what is it that you're ranting about?" The curious rabbit wore a pair of round lenses.

"Burglar! The Red Queen sides with the Queen of Hearts, they will be ferociously mad at me!" He ran off, scared, deeper into the hall until he was out of sight. Alice held the diamond with no intent in actually stealing it. She was confused in what to do next as she didn't even remember how she came to the hall. She wandered on through the hall and came by a door so large she couldn't reach the door knob. She reached on her very tip-toe but could not manage to even lay a finger on the golden knob. Alice sighed and sat contemptuously on the floor.

"What am I to do?" She held her head while the hall still spun on its axis through Alice's sight slightly.

"_You_ are to know the truth." The cat had suddenly appeared once again.

"You really ought to warn a person when you intend on appearing from thin air!" Alice complained after jumping in fright.

"Humph. That sort of thing doesn't tickle my interest at all. As I was saying, Alice-."

"You never ventured to explain how it is that you were to get a hold of my name."

"Your name doesn't run as quick, therefore it wasn't much of a fight to get a hold of it. Nor does your name interrupt my sentences." Alice stayed silent. "You should know where you are and where you are I should tell you. Would you like to know where you are?"

"Certainly!"

"Then I shall explain in every possible way I can and every possible way I can I _shall_ explain."

"What is this nonsense you keep repeating?"

"Nonsense is clear sense in Wonderland. But you of all people should know that, Alice," he gave a taunting grin as a response to her confused expression.


	4. Mindless War

_Into a Wonderland in your own mind_

How would you feel having your own thoughts and ideas explained to you as if it were black & white when you never understood a fraction of it until now?

--

"Nonsense is clear sense in Wonderland. But you of all people should know that, Alice," he gave a taunting grin as a response to her confused expression. "But it is clear as day that you do not know this, and why that is I ask."

"Because I know nothing of this "Wonderland" you speak of! It is downright nonsense in my world!"

"I wouldn't make that understatement saying that it is nonsense in _your_ world."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Alice asked slowly, cautiously.

"Your world, as in your mind's world, is nonsense."

"Who are you to say that? You do not know what I think of!"

"But I do."

"How so?"

"You thought of me, didn't you? So I am here."

"I don't understand." She furrowed her brows and sank a little on the large door she was sitting against.

"Bear with me on this, Alice, and take a risk before denying everything I say. Are you prepared?" Alice looked around the brightly lit hall and tugged a strand of her raven hair.

"I'm not sure. Will this hurt me in anyway?"

"Possibly." Alice laid her hands on her lap and sighed. She nodded slowly.

"Have you ever heard of the Queen of Hearts?" The cat asked.

"The White Rabbit spoke of her, yes."

"So you've met him? I see... What about the Red Queen?"

"Yes-." The cat wasn't quite finished with his question and hastily interrupted Alice.

"Or the White Queen? How about the Knave of Hearts, the Jabberwock, or the Gryphon?"

"Oh, my..."

"Alice, Wonderland exists only in your mind."

"What do you mean?"

"You've made up yourself a world named Wonderland. Wonderland is for you, and yourself only. You've created me."

"This is a joke, isn't it? No, this must be a trick!" Alice nervously laughed as an attempt to reassure herself. "Where are they all hiding? They're probably laughing at me this very moment!"

"I'm afraid not. Stop your laughing, you'll drive me sane."

"Stop your foolery, Cat, the joke has died!" The cat stepped back in offense.

"_I_ go by The Cheshire Cat, _not Cat_! But if you must insist in me leaving, than I will do so, foolish girl!" The Cheshire Cat turned to go.

"Wait!" Alice outstretched her arm but only managed to lay a finger on The Cheshire Cat's fur. The Cheshire Cat turned toward her and sat himself patiently on the ground.

"Are you done?"

"I'm ready to listen." Alice relaxed herself some more.

"Wonderland is not real. You've simply dozed yourself off here."

"Here: in Wonderland."

"No. Here: in your innermost mind."

"But for what reason? Am I supposed to have an epiphany or revelation of some sort?" Alice asked helplessly.

"Who am I to answer that? You're the one who dragged yourself here." Alice thought for a while and stared at her casual red dress.

"So... All I have to do is think myself back home!"

"It's not that simple."

"I thought you said you didn't know!"

"I might have some insight," The Cheshire Cat grinned widely. "After all, I am a part of you."

"How scary I must be to other," Alice mumbled to herself.

"I don't like to think of it as scary but sly," he offered.

"What do you suppose I do now?"

"Find your way out. Maybe you should be a little unselfish and help us residents out. You see, the Queen of Hearts has raved off with anger at the White Queen from pure jealousy. The Red Queen, who usually keeps a stern foot on things, has unusually sided with the Queen of Hearts. Now the three queens are at war. The White King is frail and dying from an incurable disease, so he is of no help. The Red King disappeared some 12 years ago and has yet to show himself and the King of Hearts purely agrees to everything the Queen of Hearts decides. The man wouldn't grow a backbone for his life."

"What am I supposed to do? I can't interfere in a war!"

"But it is your own war."

"What?"

"You are contributing to the war this second by having that diamond there." The Cheshire cat disappeared and reappeared next to the diamond. "The White Queen apparently sent it to the Queen of Hearts as a peace treaty."

"How do you know?"

"The diamond is pure and white. It flickers minor colors, it must be from her."

"Yes, well, that is what the rabbit said."

"The _rabbit_, is addressed as The White Rabbit."

"My pardon. What do I do?"

"For starters, you could carry yourself off to the Queen of Hearts and present to her the diamond."

"I don't know the way!"

"You'll come along others who will help you out, that I assure you of," The Cheshire Cat made a small bow and faded out.

"But I'm too tired," Alice whined. "I just want to get home."

"You are home," The Cheshire Cat lastly said before completely leaving. Alice stood and found that she was feeling oddly better by the minute, but her emotions hung on vines of tears.

"What am I to do?" she asked herself as she began walking on. To her dismay, the hall seemed to grow dimmer and dimmer. "Am I supposed to wait this out? I don't want to involve myself with a war, not a war of any manner, including my own mind's." She cried her way into a door that was unlocked and entered into a landscape that made her draw her breath in.


	5. Amazing Here

_Create landscapes no one could ever find_

Was it a dream she could easily awaken herself from, or was it madness abducting her senses?

--

The scenery surrounding her consisted of millions of more color than she ever experienced in a whole landscape. The moon was brightly lit and larger than usual. Alice, with her disconcerting curiosity, rose her thumb up to the sky until she was able to cover some of the moon's appearance. She unfolded her fingers and held up her whole hand. The moon was as large as her palm. She rested her arm back down next to her and look around herself.

It was like a painting created by a masterful artist whose imagination _must_ have had a whole 5 people's worth of imagination combined. The trees stood magnificently still with their golden trunks and their branches reached out into sparking silver. The leaves were cherry pink while the grass was the lushest and richest color of green Alice had ever seen. A stream of water ahead was tropical blue that seemed so clean and pure it looked untouched. Flowers of all different kinds rested in flowerbeds. Roses, bell flowers, daisies, you could name the flower and Alice could swear it would be there. The flower's stems were pomegranate colored and the leaves were a dark orange. The air was so clean and crisp that Alice's nose had to take time to make itself used to the purity.

"Excuse me," The Cheshire Cat appeared on a silver branch from one of the twinkling trees. "Oh, I know it's so amazing here."

"Could my own mind possibly imagine such things?" Alice asked while still gawking at the scenery. " I never thought I had it in me."

"But you do. Alice, you mustn't lovestruck yourself with the landscape. You don't want to lose yourself here."

"Whatever do you ramble about, Cheshire-Puss?"

"Remember where you really are: your mind. If you find yourself wishing to stay here for eternity you _will_ do so."

"Oh, I can! How dreadfully delightful to live in such a breath-taking world."

"Really, Alice?" The Cheshire Cat lithely jumped off the branch safely onto the grass and crushed a beautiful red rose. He walked over to her. "You are only human, your mind isn't only filled with cherry-blossom's and parades. This place can become nasty in quite a few seconds if your mood so much as changed itself. But other sections of Wonderland never change unlike this one. Take the Hatter's home: it is always somber and dark. Then again, who would blame the man? The Queen of Hearts accused of him murdering Time, and after her little charade, Time surely became offended and now works against his wishes. He is another part of your mind. He is the glumness and the depending side of you."

"What do you mean by depending?"

"Why, The Hatter is nothing without The March Hare. Without each other they would fall apart seamlessly. Without each other they are a rabbit without a pocket watch. Anyhow, your only a little girl. How old are you?"

"Twelve and a third," Alice answered dignified.

"You shouldn't be so proud of that age," The Cheshire Cat suggested modestly.

"And why not?" Alice asked.

"You should be on your way, it is getting light out," he looked out beyond to the sparkling moon as he spoke and avoided her question "; you don't want to catch up with those bothersome twins. If anything, they'll end the best of you."

"And what would that be?"

"Your sanity." He walked away without bothering to disintegrate himself, which Alice thought was quite peculiar. Why would he take Time to walk far away rather than simply disappearing and reappearing to the wished location. Either way, Alice set on her way to venture about.

---

A/N: I really want to see Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, but I haven't been able to. If the story seems to sound anything like the movie, I am really sorry, I did not mean it. Please review.


	6. Peculiar Boys

_In Wonderland, there's nothing you cannot do._

Alice had wandered about deeper into thick woods. The golden and silver trees were no longer dazzling. Somehow, through all her walking, the trees became darker and almost ash in color. Alice quickly began shrinking in fear of something popping up and eating her whole. Between two large trees she could barely see the dawn rising.

"Oh good!" Alice exhaled out. In her exasperation she sat herself down on a tree stump surrounded by dark trees. She held her head in her hands as a familiar creature appeared next to her.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Alice," Cheshire Cat snarled from between his sharp teeth.

"Oh what now?" Alice snapped back at him. "Can't I rest for a minute, Cheshire?"

"I warned you to get out of here before the day came," the Cheshire Cat shook his head as he continued. "But you never listen, do you, Alice?"

"Can't I just take a small nap, Kitty? Just for a while, I swear it." Alice reached out to the Cheshire Cat but he hissed at her and relocated himself opposite where he had been. "I'm so dreadfully tired," she stretched her arms out high and let out a lion-like yawn.

"Humph. Don't say I didn't warn you," the Cheshire Cat said, wincing as he did, and disappeared again. Alice proceeded to doze off, and before she knew it, she was in a deep, deep sleep.

* * *

Alice's eyelids slowly opened themselves to reveal the woods being slightly more lit than before. She took a minute to admire her scenery while engaging in her morning stretches when she heard snickering and running. Her eyes quickly turned to the noise. Two fat, round boys were running off with the diamond! Alice quickly chased after them. "Stop! Stop I tell you! Stop!" The two boys stopped their running so suddenly that Alice didn't have time to prepare herself to stop. In her mad dash, she bashed into the two boys and bounced back onto the ground. The boys turned to face her. She looked up at them while wincing at the pain. Their mouths were like two long straight lines. Their harsh black eyes looked down at her. Not only were they identical in genetics, but in clothing as well. They both wore curious, childish caps.

"_Yes?_" They leaned over her in an attempt to intimidate her. Alice shrunk and tried to speak, but all she could do was make a small whimper.

"How rude! You interrupt us and then ignore us! Speak!" One of them demanded and bounced as he did so.

"Such bad manners," the other agreed, and bounced as well.

"That's not yours!" Alice pointed at the diamond the two boys were hiding behind them. The two boys looked at each other, then started laughing. They jumped all around Alice and pointed and laughed at her. "Give it back!"

"What's your name?" They cornered Alice with her back against the tree stump.

"Alice," she quivered with her speech.

"I am Tweedle Dee," One bounced.

"I am Tweedle Dum," The other bounced.

"Such peculiar names for peculiar boys," Alice thought aloud. Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum's eyes turned red and they leaned even farther towards her. Their large mouths made such large frowns.

"_Us_, peculiar?" They asked in unison.

"Please! I need to deliver that diamond to the Queen of Hearts."

"The Queen of Hearts?" They looked at each other again and developed large, suspicious grins, then faced her again and replied in a very matter-of-fact tone. "We know the Queen of Hearts," they stated as they straightened themselves. "We could deliver the diamond for you," they opened one eye to peer at her expression for a short time.

"I'd rather deliver it myself, thank you...," Alice refused. She knew she shouldn't trust these boys.

"But why not?" Their eyes turned red again. Before Alice had time to respond, they started mocking her. "Poor girl doesn't trust you," Tweedle Dum rumored to Tweedle Dee.

"Me? It's you she doesn't trust!" His brother snapped back. "She's just a little girl lost in a big world!"

"Woe is me!" Tweedle Dum cried out. "Woe is me! I'm Alice and I haven't a clue in the world!" Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum broke out in laughter.

"Stupid girl! This diamond is ours!"

"Look at her silly dress! Where does one get that?"

"I bet it's made out of the leaves from the trees!"

"Oh, Tweedle Dee, you're a genius!"

"Please!" Alice asked in agony. "I beg of you!"

"Ooooh, you hear that Tweedle Dum? She _begs_ us."

"Here!" Tweedle Dum held the diamond above her head and took it back each time she tried to retrieve it.

"Stop it!" Alice begged. The boys laughed and bounced, laughed and bounced. How could two boys who seemed the same age as her be so cruel? "Please!" Alice began to cry.

"Look she's crying!" One of them shouted. Alice couldn't detect their faces anymore from behind her tears. She covered her face with her hands and continued weeping. _Oh, I just wish they'd leave me alone! I wish they'd go away! _Alice thought to herself. _Go away! _Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum's voices grew fainter in the background. "We should take her to the fountain of tears, let her put the fountain to shame!" "Or we should feed her off to the Jabberwock. She would make such a delicious-..." "Off with her-..." "Off with-...!" Alice no longer seemed to hear the mockery of the brothers and continued weeping her poor little eyes out.

* * *

After a long while of tear shedding, Alice uncovered her face from beneath her eyes. To her amazement, the boys were gone. And at her feet, the diamond sat flawlessly. It was as if her wishes had been answered. It was as if she had erased them completely. She quickly swept the diamond into her arms and ran off. The silence made her uneasy, and she didn't want to stick around to see what else would rise out of the forest.


End file.
